Anime Article in the Houston Press

The Houston (Texas) Press newspaper has published an extensive article about the growing popularity of anime and anime fan culture. Given that the article and newspaper are based in the same city that ADV Films calls home, much of the article is focused on AD Vision, including interviews with AD Vision staff.

The value of the article is debatable as it obviously attempts to dispel stereotypes about anime and anime culture, but may be argued to create as many as it attempts to eliminate. Interesting features of the article include a confirmation that, “Sometimes ADV shelves shows for a couple of years until the time seems right,” a paragraph quoting a vehemently anti-fansub sentiment by AD Vision and an AD Vision representative “acting like a chaperone and killing the conversation when it wandered too far into fansubbing territory,” and official AD Vision statements including, “We don’t want people to get it [anime] for free,” and, “…there’s not much point in [fansubbing] anymore.” Other noteworthy portions of the article include a history of ADV Films, a discussion of the stereotypes of anime genres, and statements about the nature of anime fans themselves such boys dressing in female cosplay being “a safe way to work out their sexuality in a safe, funny way,” and “there are hundreds of hard-core anime fans who… suffer from the stigma of being…a complete geek,” which are intended to ironically both eliminate and simultaneously confirm the basis for such stereotypes.

The newspaper’s online version also features another interesting interview with fan music video creator Bobby Beaver. Unfortunately, the article trying to bring anime to mainstream recognition and acceptance once again opens with a statement describing Bobby Beaver as a “geek” embarrassed by his fascination with anime.

Source: Anime News Network